Minnesota Man Convicted Of Arms Smuggling

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A federal jury has convicted a Minnesota man of smuggling arms to Nigeria and lying on firearms purchase records.

Fifty-one-year-old Sheriff Olaleran Mohammed was convicted of one count of smuggling goods from the U.S. and 17 counts of providing false statements while purchasing a firearm.

Mohammed is a naturalized citizen living in Brooklyn Park. He was indicted in October and arrested in November in Atlanta while returning from Nigeria.

The investigation began in 2012 when agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives discovered seven handgun purchases made within days of each other at a Twin Cities gun shop. Investigators eventually discovered Mohammed had made 17 handgun purchases between 2009 and 2012.

Mohammed faces up to 10 years in prison on each count. Sentencing has not been scheduled.